The decision by the Karnataka government to include all castes and communities within the Muslim population as socially and educationally backward classes has ignited controversy.
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has condemned this move by the Congress-led government, arguing that it undermines the principle of social justice. According to the commission, categorizing entire religious communities as backward casts a shadow over the nuances of social and educational backwardness within specific castes or communities.
In Karnataka, the inclusion of all castes and communities within the Muslim religion as socially and educationally backward classes will grant them access to reservation benefits in educational institutions and state appointments.
This decision has resulted in the provision of reservation benefits for 17 socially and educationally backward castes under Category I and 19 castes under Category II-A, as per the statement issued by the NCBC.
Despite Muslims constituting 12.92% of Karnataka's population according to the 2011 Census, the NCBC has criticized the Siddaramaiah-led government for potentially infringing upon the rights of other backward classes through this action.
Nevertheless, the NCBC acknowledged the presence of underprivileged and historically marginalized segments within the Muslim community. While acknowledging that the Muslim religion does not endorse the caste system, the commission highlighted the existence of caste-based practices within the community.
By treating the entire Muslim religion as backward, the NCBC argued, the government overlooks the diversity and intricacies within Muslim society, thereby simplifying a complex social landscape.
